Model Description

HadGEM2-ES is a coupled Earth System Model that was used by the Met Office Hadley Centre for the CMIP5 centennial simulations. HadGEM2 is a configuration of the Met Office Unified Model (UM) developed from UM version 6.6. HadGEM2-ES was the first Met Office Hadley Centre model to include Earth system components as standard. The Unified Model is used by a number of institutions around the world both for operational weather forecasting and for climate research. The HadGEM2-ES climate model comprises an atmospheric GCM at N96 and L38 horizontal and vertical resolution, and an ocean GCM with a 1-degree horizontal resolution (increasing to 1/3 degree at the equator) and 40 vertical levels. Earth system components included are the terrestrial and ocean carbon cycle and tropospheric chemistry. Terrestrial vegetation and carbon are represented by the dynamic global vegetation model, TRIFFID, which simulates the coverage and carbon balance of 5 vegetation types (broadleaf tree, needleleaf tree, C3 grass, C4 grass and shrub). Ocean biology and carbonate chemistry are represented by diat-HadOCC which includes limitation of plankton growth by macro- and micro-nutrients, and also simulates emissions of DMS to the atmosphere.

The Met Office develops and uses the Unified Model atmospheric model for a seamless range of applications from short-range numerical weather prediction to seasonal, decadal and centennial climate prediction. Longer range prediction is coupled with the NEMO ocean model, and Earth System Models are currently being developed.

A large range of technical and scientific information about the Met Office Hadley Centre Earth System Models is available on the Met Office collaboration twiki. As part of the IS-ENES service, IS-ENES partner representatives are invited to contact the twiki administrator on [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.] to set up an account, providing access to the project and development webs. The twiki provides information on Earth System Model development and projects. It also offers an opportunity for feedback and discussion and contains five newsgroups allowing users to ask questions about the models, model development, evaluation and technical infrastructure development.

Annual Unified Model User Workshops of one week duration are held each June to support operational and research users. These events include presentations and discussion of the latest scientific and technical developments relating to the UM.